Plug and receptacle assembly



Jan. 27, 1959 R. A. RYBOLD, JR

PLUG AND RE-CEPTACLE ASSEMBLY Filed Sept. 27, 1955 INVENTOR. RICHARD A. RYBOLD JR.

PARKER 2 CARTER ATTORNEYS United States My invention relates to an electrical plug and receptacle, and more particularly to a wall receptacle in combination with a locking type'plug.

The object of my invention is to' provide an electrical plug and socket arrangement, that will retain the attaching'plug against endwise disengagement from its receptacleor socket; i i i Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described that is provided with a revolving guide to position the points on the plug, for engagement with the contacts within the receptacle.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a plug and receptacle assembly of the character described that" may be employed to'replace the conventional receptacle and plug.

It is manifest to anyone that is familiar with applying the contact plug of an electrical appliance to a conventional wall receptacle or socket, that it is often quite difficult to engage the points of the plug in the oppositely disposed apertures in the receptacle to guide the points of the plug .to the contacts Within the receptacle. This is especially true when the receptacle is in an out of the way location, or when applying the plug in the dark. Conventional plugs are also subject to accident removal by endwise pulling from their receptacle. The device of my invention overcomes these objections inasmuch as the plug is hollow and formed to a shape to engage a generally conical revolving guide for aligning the plug in a manner to place the points into easy engagement with the apertures which terminate into radial slots for placing the points into locking engagement with the contacts within the receptacle.

The device consists of simple easily manufactured parts that are readily assembled into an efficient device.

Other and further objects of my invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds, when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the assembled plug and receptacle made in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross section of the assembled unit shown in Figure 1. t

Figure 3 is a perspective detail view of the plug, tilted to show the underface of its shell with the contact points projecting therefrom.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a flat insulating disc for insertion within the plug shell.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a conical revolving guide having oppositely disposed recessed channels for guiding the contact points projecting from the plug shell.

Figure 6 shows the guide plate forming part of the receptacle, with a centrally disposed pivot pin for the guide attached thereto.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the receptacle base, with a side portion removed to show its contacts positioned therein.

Figure 8 is a top view of the receptacle base with the revolving guide and guide plate in position thereon.

' atent "0 2,871,458 Patented Jan. 27, 1959 2 Figure 9 is a top View of the receptacle base with the revolving guide and guide plate removed. Figure 10'is a bottom view of the hollow plug shell shown in Figure 3. Referring now to details of the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawing, 10 indicates a plug shell of bell shape construction made of plastic or similar non-conducting material, and hollow on the inside. The plug has opposed recessed channels 11, extending vertically along its inner sides to accommodate metal contact strips 12 attached within the shellby means of screws 13. The strips 12 have contact points 12' at their terminal ends, turned outwardly in spaced relation from th bottom face of the shell 10.

A centrally disposed opening 14 passes through the apex of the plug shell 10, to accommodate an electric cord 15 having wires attached to the strips l2 as by the screws 13.

The receptacle orbase '16 is shown as being of flattened hollow circular shape,- open to its top, and may be made of plastic or similar non-conducting material. In Figures 1 and 2, I show mounting members 17 extending outward from opposite sides of the base 16, or the'base may be mounted on a baseboard or the like (not shown) by other means such as screws passing through apertures .13, shown in Figures 7 and 9. The base 16 has a pair of contacts 19 attached to its inside bottom plate by screws 20, which supportwires extending from a cord 2 shown 'entering the receptacle or base 16 through a sideaperture 22.

The contacts 19 are disposed at opposite sides of the bottom plate and each has a pair of upstanding vertically spaced resilient members 23 and 24 formed integral therewith and opening toward opposite sides of the base. Each pair of members 23 and 24 act as a resilient channel to receive the contact points 12 of the strips 12, when said points are rotated into engagement therewith.

The upper rim of the receptacle 16 is recessed at 25 to receive a flat cover or guide plate 26 having a central aperture 27, in which is supported an upright pivot pin 28. The guide plate 26 also has a pair of oppositely disposed arcuate openings 30 and 30' terminating in radially extended slots 29 and 29' respectively.

The pivot pin 28 supports a revolving guide 31, and retains the guide 31 in revolving contact with the flat cover 26. The guide 31 is generally conical, but is rounded at its upper end so as to be approximately semi-ovate, and is provided with opposed upright channels 32 recessed on its outer surface, as shown in Figure 8. The guide and its recess project above the cover 26 and base 16.

A flat disc 33 of insulating material, having inwardly extending open slots or notches 34, is adapted to [it in .the hollow shell 10 and be frictionally retained in position to cover the screws 13 attaching the wires to the strips 12. j

In operation, the fiat guide plate 26 fitting across the top of the base 16 supports the conical revolving guide 31 on the pin 23, with the radial openings 29 and 29' in said plate which register with and extend outward from the periphery of the guide 31. This assembly totally encloses the contacts 19 in the base 16. When the plug 10 is placed over the conical guide 31, the strips i2 are brought into engagement with the recessed slots 31% at up posite sides of the guide 31, so the outwardly extending contact points 12' may be brought into registry with the openings 29 and 29 by revolving the plug it? in either direction. By further pressing the plug downwardly into seating relation on the guide 31, the points 12 can then be passed through said openings. Then by revolving the plug in the direction of the radial slots 30 and 33 (which as herein shown, extend in clockwise direction from the inner ends of openings 29 and 29) the ends 12' may finally be brought into engagement with the contacts 19 between their resilient portions 23 and 24. Inasmuch as the members 12 extend below the plate '26, any pull on the cord 15 will not effect the engagement by contacts of the plug with the receptacle, thereby preventing disengagement of the plug and providing an efiicient means of guiding the plug points into engagement with the contacts in the receptacle, due to the revolving of the guide 31.

Although I have shown and described a certain embodiment of the invention, itiwill be understood that vari ous charges and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an electrical device, a hollow receptacle having a pair of contact points fixed therein with opposed laterally opening channels, a cover plate for said receptacle, a centrally disposed generally conical guide member rotatably mounted on an upright axis on said cover plate and extending upwardly from the latter, said guide member having upright guide slots recessed along opposite sides thereof above said cover plate, said cover plate also having arcuate slots therein concentric with the axis of said guide member and lying outside of but adjacent to the base of the latter, said arcuate slots terminating in opposed radial openings, and a plug adapted for detachable connection with said receptacle comprising a hollow shell open at its lower end with its inner sides arranged for said shell, said plug being adapted to fit initially over said guide member and the contact strips then being engageable in registering relation with the guide slots thereon, for guiding the contact points into position for passage through the radial openings in the cover plate, and thereafter permitting the plug and guide member to be revolved to engage the contactpoints of the plug with the contact points of the receptacle 2. In an electrical plug and receptacle assembly, a receptacle having contacts therein spaced fromthe center of said receptacle, said receptacle having an exposed wall provided with spaced arcuate apertures offset with respect to said contacts, each aperture being enlarged'at one end thereof, a detachable plug having contact members extending therefrom, said contact members having portions extending generally transverse to the axis of said plug, said portions being adapted for insertion through said enlargements and adapted, upon rotation of the plug, to be brought into engagement with said contacts, an upstanding guide on said exterior wallpsaid guide having a generally conicform, said plug havingan opening therein to receive said guide, the contacts on said plug being spaced on opposite sides of said openingsuch as tobe engaged by said guide as said contacts pass over the base of said guide. I v

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

